Connectivity: The Most Important Part of Your Business

Pat Verrington

07/25/2017

Many organizations don’t consider how secure, managed connectivity plays such a key role in today’s business environment. When I speak with businesses leaders - from both large enterprises and innovative start-ups - I find that wireless failover capability hasn’t always been considered in their business continuity plan, yet it can sometimes make the difference between success and failure.

Imagine this scenario: A restaurant/pub is gearing up for a major event, such as a big playoff game. Every detail has been executed seamlessly, from the promotions to staffing and inventory. The customers arrive in masses and the game is going full throttle – What could possibly go wrong? Then, the fixed-line Internet connectivity drops out and the restaurant is unable to process credit cards. With the restaurant unable to provide services, patrons leave at halftime and head to a competitor’s location to enjoy the game. Revenue is lost and the business’s reputation is damaged.

Similar instances can occur when the stakes are even higher, such as in the healthcare industry. Doctors need uninterrupted connectivity to assess patient records, while administrative staff requires always-on access to remain compliant with data management regulations.

In today’s business climate, secure, managed connectivity is the most important part of your business continuity plan that you never think about. Many businesses take it for granted until it fails, then they struggle to avert a catastrophe. Having a failover strategy in place enables business owners to focus on their core business, and not worry about being an IT expert, trying to troubleshoot technical problems and ensure business continuity.

When building your wireless failover strategy, consider the following key technology elements:

Hardware: Select a router best suited for your needs, including the optimal network, location and bandwidth.

Connectivity: Choose the best network for your application, with consideration of the coverage area, pricing and expected data usage.

Software: Determine the ideal management platforms. You’ll need one for managing the connectivity and another to manage devices.

In some cases, wireless connectivity can also provide an immediate solution for rapid time-to-market. Recently, a KORE retail customer wanted to capitalize on the opportunity to open a new location. The only challenge was an inability to gain fixed-line Internet access quickly enough to meet the grand opening timeline. By selecting wireless LTE connectivity, the business was able to meet the aggressive deadlines and capture the business opportunity, with fully operational systems, credit card processing and POS systems on day one. And, by selecting an intelligent router; businesses can switch from a primary connection to a secondary failover wireless network to ensure seamless operations.

Learn more about how KORE can help you develop an IoT, M2M and enterprise connectivity strategy.